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The Center seeks highly motivated undergraduate and graduate students (including law), as well as recent graduates, in the following areas for full-and occasionally part-time paid internships: Communications, Government Affairs, Health Policy, Housing Policy, Food Assistance, National Budget and Tax Policy, Outreach Campaigns, State Fiscal Policy, and Family Income Support (see internship descriptions).

Bringing diverse perspectives to state and federal policy debates

To expand the diversity of voices that speak with authority in state and federal policy debates, the program identifies highly motivated candidates – with particular attention to candidates from communities that are underrepresented in state and federal policy debates – with a demonstrated interest in public policies that affect low-income and diverse communities and have implications for racial equity.

Internships are available for the fall, spring, and summer semesters. However, not all positions are available every semester. The typical length of an internship is one semester (approximately 10-12 weeks). Individuals interested in a second internship may qualify upon a review of Center needs at the end of the first internship.

The positions are designed to reflect an intern's interests in conjunction with the Center's needs and the legislative climate. Applicants should have research, fact-gathering, writing, analytic, and computer skills and a willingness to do administrative as well as substantive tasks.

“This internship surpassed my expectations! I developed good relationships and felt like I was able to make positive contributions to the team on a regular basis.”

Katherine Bailey,
University of Virginia

International students are welcome to apply. The Center does not provide financial sponsorship for visas or work permits. You must have documentation of work authorization for the U.S. AND a U.S. Social Security number to be employed by the Center. (Please indicate that you are an international student on the application form.)
The Center's offices are located at 820 First Street NE, one block from Union Station (on Metro's Red Line) near Capitol Hill.

Compensation

Doctoral students may receive between $15.25 - $18.25, depending on progress towards completion of degree requirements, relevant coursework and research.

Students with a Master’s or Law degree receive $16.25 per hour.

Graduate students receive $15.25 per hour.

Students with a Bachelor's degree receive $14.25 per hour.

Undergraduate students receive $13.25 per hour.

These amounts of compensation are effective as of May 21, 2018.

For interns with significant work experience that is relevant to their internship, some adjustment may be made to these wage levels.

Interns are eligible for 1 personal day and 2 sick days per semester, and health insurance.

How to Apply

To apply for an internship position, click on CURRENT INTERN OPENINGS on the menu bar to the left. Only complete electronic applications through the application portal will be accepted. Applications submitted by mail or email will not be accepted.

Please have ready the following material to submit with your application.

Cover letter

Resume

Transcripts (unofficial transcripts will be accepted)

References — contact information for two references

Once you submit your application, you will receive an electronic confirmation.

For serious consideration, please be thoughtful about which program area(s) truly interest you and apply only to the intern opening(s) that match your interests and education/experience.

We ask that you limit your application to your top three preferred program areas.

Due to the high volume of applications received, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. We are unable to respond to individual inquiries about the status of your application.

No phone calls, please. If you have read all information on this website about the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ internships and still have an inquiry about the application process, please email: internship@cbpp.org

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and welcomes diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages all qualified persons to apply regardless of any protected status under federal or local law including Minorities/Women/Disabilities/Veterans.

Cover Letter Tips

Your cover letter gives you a chance to go beyond what’s included in your résumé and help us learn more about you. Here are a few tips to help you maximize your cover letter’s impact.

Tell us why you want to work here. Demonstrate that you’ve done your research on the Center before deciding to apply.

Be specific about why you’re interested in the intern program area(s) you’re applying to (ex: Federal Fiscal, Housing, Development, etc.)

Tie seemingly unrelated work experience into your cover letter. If you worked in food service or retail for a year, for example, talk about what you learned from it.

Use personal experience to explain your motivation for wanting to work on policies that affect low- and middle-income families.

Internship Program Schedules

Spring 2019
Internship posted beginning: September 10, 2018Application deadline: October 15, 2018*
Decisions are generally made within a month of the application deadline.
Program start/orientation dates: January 7, 2019 and January 21, 2019

Summer 2019
Internship posted beginning: Mid-December 2018Application deadline: February 1, 2019*
Decisions are generally made within a month of the application deadline.
Program start/orientation dates: May 27, 2019 and June 10, 2019

Fall 2019
Internship posted beginning: Early April 2019Application deadline: June 1, 2019*
Decisions are generally made within a month of the application deadline.
Program start/orientation dates: September 3, 2019 and September 16, 2019

*Candidates are encouraged to submit applications early, as some teams make decisions on a rolling basis.

Questions

Please no phone calls. Only candidates who will be interviewed will be contacted. If you have read all information on this website about the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Internships and still have an inquiry about the application process, please email: internship@cbpp.org.

“Everyone at the Center is super smart and busy working on important things. But they are also super approachable and full of advice.”